Night Changes
by drizzletomyhurricane
Summary: An alternate version of 4.07 where Miles is the one who finds Maya instead. Set in the same universe as my main fic, with Mola being together with the baby still. Mostly a Matlingsworth friendship piece, some mentions of past romance.


Miles tossed and turned again in his sleeping bag, still wide awake. He felt Lola tucked against his rib cage, her breathing so calm and steady as her eyes fluttered peacefully in her sleep. He placed his hand over her gently, careful not to wake her, and felt the soft rustling from inside her. It still amazed Miles any time he felt the baby stir even slightly, even the smallest movements being a reminder of the little life they'd created together. Their little piece of hope that had come out of all that darkness and turned their worlds upside down. Wasn't exactly what either of them had wanted, if they were honest, but the baby had brought them together again. And wanting Lola was the one thing Miles never doubted. He'd always wanted her. Even when he was on his knees begging Tristan for forgiveness, he always knew deep down his heart belonged to the blue-haired girl he could never forget. His hope.

Consumed by his thoughts and unable to sleep, Miles got out of his sleeping bag and poked his head out of the tent. Maybe he'd go for a walk, clear his head a bit. He was just a few feet away from the woods when—

"Miles. What are you doing up?"

Miles blinked for a second, trying to make out the figure in the pitch dark. But he'd know that voice anywhere. "I couldn't sleep," he said, taking a seat. "What are _you _doing up?"

Maya shrugged. "I couldn't sleep either."

Miles stared at his ex for a second. There was something off, something in her eyes. Wait. He stared at the open Tupperware in her lap, the crumbs on her shirt. He didn't know whether to laugh or be horrified. "Did you... eat Esme's brownies?"

"Don't judge me!" Maya said. "God, are these trees spinning for you too? Or am I just that high? Oh god. Don't judge me, please."

"Ha. Me? Never," Miles grinned. He tried to stifle back his laughter. "It's just... wow, how the tables have turned."

Miles knew Maya had never been a straight edge like Jonah— she drank plenty, and he'd heard she'd even tried Molly once or twice— but still. This _was_ the same girl who had thought him smoking was a warning sign he was going to kill himself.

Though in a way, she wasn't wrong— he _had _been in a dark place then. He paused, suddenly feeling a little worried when Maya didn't laugh along with him. "Hey. Are you okay?"

Maya frowned. "I'm just so high. Ugh, I don't wanna be high anymore... I..."

"Hey, take it easy." Miles cautiously draped his arm around her, the only thing he could think to do right then.

Maya leaned into him, burying her head against him like a baby. "Sorry... I'm kind of a mess."

It had been years since they'd been this close physically, since they'd broken down these walls between them. It wasn't the type of intimate moment that would make him feel like he was betraying Lola, but simply a gesture of friendship, of two old strangers' paths crossing again. Miles had loved Maya, no denying that. But the love he felt for her in this moment was different— he felt like he'd let his friend down. Like he hadn't been there when she wasn't okay, the way she had been for him. And maybe she still wasn't okay, he realized.

"Maya..." he started.

Maya sat up all of a sudden. "I have to write a song."

"What?"

"A song. I've gotta write a song for Craig, for that audition thingy—"

She tried to stand up, but Miles grabbed her hand. "Well, you're not gonna suddenly have a stroke of genius just because you're high. Trust me. Been there, done that."

"I _have _to write a song, dammit!" Maya yelled it so loud it could have woken the whole campground up. Miles froze, startled, and she pulled away from him, embarrassed. "I'm sorry. It's not you. It's just—"

"—the brownies. Yeah, I know. Don't worry. Like I said... I've been there." Miles paused. "Maya. What's really going on?"

"I told you. I've got this audition for—"

"Not that," Miles said quietly. "What's going on with _you_? You really scared us when you..." He couldn't even say it aloud. In his life, he'd only physically felt his heart _drop _twice: first, with the crash, and second, when he heard they found Maya on the roof.

Maya fell silent too and, for a second, Miles regretted even bringing it up. He hated talking about his own past— he knew he'd also scared a lot of people, Maya included. Back before Lola, back when he felt... numb. When he could have imagined himself on that roof.

"I'm just overwhelmed," Maya finally said. "There's just so much pressure."

Miles didn't look at her. "You _really_ scared us."

"I know." She paused. "But hey, I'm okay now. I promise."

"Maya, I..."

"I mean, I'm _still _high, but the trees are a little less spinny now that you're here." Maya shrugged, offering him a small smile.

Miles slowly smiled back. "Well, I'm glad I'm here for you now, at least." His eyes darted towards her backpack and he suddenly noticed a tiny stuffed animal poking its head out. "What's that?" he asked, pointing towards the toy.

Maya's cheeks turned pink as she unzipped her backpack. "Oh, um, this is Hoot." She held a small grey stuffed owl in her hands. "I've had him since I was little. My parents bought it for me to take to camp, y'know, in case I got scared. And now I just kinda bring him any time I go on a trip overnight."

Miles cracked a smile. "Hoot, huh? Original name for an owl."

"I know it's dumb..."

"No," Miles said. "It's not dumb. I think it's smart." He smiled. "Maybe I should get my own Hoot. It might help help me sleep at night."

Maya eyed him curiously. "What's keeping you up?"

"Lola's snoring, mostly," Miles joked, trying to lighten the mood slightly. He picked up a small twig and played around with it. "But, ah... the baby, mostly. And my dad. I just..." He snapped the twig in half. "I just can't shake the thought that I'm gonna be exactly like him." His face turned slightly red and he suddenly wished he hadn't shared that. He didn't know why he was so hesitant to be vulnerable around Maya when she'd seen him at his worst plenty of times, almost more than anyone. But he still felt that wall between them.

Maya grabbed his hand this time. "You're not," she said firmly, "_anything_ like your dad."

Miles just squeezed her hand back for a second, not saying anything.

Maya was quiet for a second too, then smiled. "Do you remember when you convinced me to go skinny dipping?"

Miles snorted. "Jesus. Yeah, I'd forgotten about that."

"I tried to tell your dad I was just there to do homework."

"He was _so _mad."

Miles and Maya both busted up laughing.

"Damn," Miles grinned. "The good old days."

"Yeah," Maya smiled back. "Sort of, I guess." She paused. "Are you— are you happier now?"

Miles blinked. "Huh?"

"Well, I know you went through a lot, with your dad and the drugs and Tristan and—" Maya shrugged. "I don't judge you, you know, for hooking up with Lola. I mean, I'm friends with Tristan, but I knew you weren't happy. I could just tell."

Miles nodded. "I wasn't," he admitted. "Even when he woke up. I really wanted to be, but I just... wasn't." He shrugged. "But yeah. I _am_ happier now." That was the first time he'd ever said he was happy and actually meant it, he realized. Even with the messed up circumstances, the crazy pressure, the scary reality of parenthood dawning on him... he was happy with Lola. He smiled around her, he laughed and joked and even sent oomfchats with dog filters, for goddsakes. Shit, he thought.

He really was, as Winston so disgustingly put it, a _lovesick puppy_. "I don't know. I don't feel like I really deserve it, though."

"What? Of course you do," Maya said. "You've always deserved to be happy, Miles."

"Well, so have you."

They just sat there and smiled at each other for a second, grateful for the odd little bit of comfort this night had brought. But then suddenly, there was a rustling sound. It sounded like it could have come from anywhere, like it was a wild animal or—

"Oh shit!" Maya yelled, suddenly panicked. "Is that a _bear_?"

"There's no bears here," Miles said. It was just Maya being paranoid from the brownies, he told himself. Wait. _Were _there bears here? There was a noise again. "Shit. Maybe I should check on Lola—"

From behind, a familiar voice boomed, "Did you eat _all_ my brownies?"

Miles and Maya both spun around at the same time. "Esme, you scared the hell out of us!" Miles said.

Maya pressed her hand to her chest, looking equally startled. "They were good brownies," she shrugged.

"Well, I'm glad _someone _liked them," Esme smiled. "But sheesh, you ate _all_ of them? You're going to be high for days." She smirked at them, then snuck quietly back into her and Zig's tent.

Miles just shook his head. "Well, I should get back to my tent."

"Wait." Maya grabbed his arm. "You should take this." She handed him Hoot.

Miles stared at the stuffed owl in confusion. "I think I can handle sleeping on my own," he laughed.

Maya rolled her eyes. "No, not for _you, _silly— for the baby."

Miles paused, still holding Hoot. "Wait... isn't this... isn't it really special to you?"

"Yeah," Maya said. "It is. Which is why I'm giving it to you." She smiled.

Miles smiled back. He pulled her into a hug, Hoot and all their history in between them. So many things had changed... but their friendship wasn't one of them.


End file.
